Tech Stroll Journey

May 23, 2026 · Operations

Why D and Z Processes Stall Your CPU: Linux Performance Tuning Guide

The article explains the low‑level reasons why uninterruptible (D) and zombie (Z) processes inflate Linux load average, shows how to identify them with ps, wchan and /proc tools, and provides step‑by‑step diagnostics, handling strategies, kernel and I/O scheduler tweaks, and preventive measures to keep the system responsive.